After Jordan Schafer used his bunting ability and speed to score the first run of a six-run Braves inning, Evan Gattis and Juan Francisco used sheer brawn to drive in the next five.
Gattis lined a three-run homer into the pool of a nightclub beyond left field, and Francisco hit a mammoth two-run homer off the second-deck facade during a big fifth inning that propelled the surging Braves to an 8-0 rout to complete a series sweep against Miami on Wednesday night at Marlins Park.
“It happens that quickly — you make a mistake and we’ve got the firepower to put up a big number in a hurry,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves will take a six-game winning streak and majors-best 8-1 record into its big weekend series at Washington that starts Friday.
Schafer had four hits and scored twice in his first start of the season for the Braves, who have their best after nine games in nearly 20 years. The 1994 Braves went 8-1 on the way to a 13-1 start.
Mike Minor (2-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and one walk with four strikeouts, improving to 9-4 with a 2.02 ERA in 17 starts since the beginning of July.
“Pretty much one through eight, we’ve got guys who can put the ball out of the ballpark,” Minor said.
Miami fell to 1-8 and lost for the 28th time in its past 36 games against the Braves, who have a 1.97 ERA and nine shutouts against the Marlins that period, including two shutouts in this series. The Marlins totaled two runs in three games against a Braves pitching staff that lowered its majors-best ERA to 1.89.
Schafer started in place of center fielder B.J. Upton and went 4-for-5 with a hit each of his first four times up, including three hits leading off innings. This after having one plate appearance all season before Wednesday. He led off the fifth with a bunt single, stole second and scored an out later on Andrelton Simmons’ single.
“It felt good just to get out there on the field and be able to play,” Schafer said. “Just trying to have fun and do the little things to help us win. Help us in any way possible.”
The fifth-inning fun had just begun for the Braves. Jason Heyward followed Simmons with a walk and major league home-run leader Justin Upton flied out for the second out of the inning. If Marlins starter Alex Sanabia (1-1) thought he was out of trouble, he was in for a rude awakening.
Gattis was up next and drove Sanabia’s second pitch to the pool in the Clevelander nightclub beyond left field, the rookie’s third homer and second in as many nights since manager Fredi Gonzalez announced he would be the Braves’ primary catcher while first baseman Freddie Freeman (oblique) is on the 15-day disabled list.
“Never hit a home run into a pool,” Gattis said, smiling. “Notch that one. Got another one.”
Dan Uggla followed Gattis with a walk before Francisco unloaded on Sanabia’s next pitch, driving it off an advertising video board on the right-center second-deck facade. The first homer of the season for Francisco was a no-doubter from the moment it left the bat, and traveled an estimated 459 feet, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
“That was nice, wasn’t it?” Uggla said. “It’s fun watching those guys when they get ahold of one.”
Schafer said of the Gattis and Francisco long balls: “That’s real men hitting the baseball. That’s not little kids. Even in BP, the way the ball comes off their bat is unbelievable. You don’t see that very often.”
Gonzalez made the decision to have Gattis catch more than veteran Gerald Laird because Gattis provided a good cleanup option in place of Freeman, who’s eligible to return April 22. Gattis has hit .391 with nine hits and six RBIs in 22 at-bats over six games. He leads major league rookies in homers.
Braves veteran catcher Brian McCann is recovering from shoulder surgery and could return in late April or May.
“It’s not a quarterback controversy or anything,” Gonzalez said. “You’ve got to do it. He fits in that No. 4 hole until Freeman gets back or McCann gets back. And who knows then? Shoot, at the pace he’s going he may have 12 or 13 (home runs) in that four-hole. It’s just good for the club for him to hit in that four-hole. I’m glad it’s worked out.”
A 26-year-old who had never played above Double-A before this season, Gattis is becoming a folk hero for Braves fans, who’ve latched onto his unusual story and splendid nickname, El Oso Blanco — Spanish for White Bear — which he picked up over the winter while hitting 16 homers in 195 at-bats in the Venezuelan league.
He was out of baseball nearly four years, battled substance abuse and depression, and rambled around the western United States doing odd jobs and seeking spiritual advice before returning to baseball. Gattis was drafted by the Braves in the 23rd round out of Texas-Permian Basin in 2010, and hit .308 with 44 homers in 832 minor-league at-bats over parts of three seasons before coming to spring training as a non-roster invitee and earning a job.
Gattis said he’s becoming more comfortable behind the plate with increased playing time, and learning the strengths of opposing hitters and, most importantly, his own pitchers. Minor said when his curveball and slider weren’t sharp Wednesday, he and Gattis agreed it was best to go with more change-ups than the left-hander usually throws.
With two on and two out in the Marlins’ sixth inning, Cory Gearrin replaced Minor and struck out Miguel Olivo.
“Nice performance by our pitching staff, Minor kept us right there,” Gonzalez said. “His pitch count got a little high (101), that’s why we took him out. Nice to have Gearrin come in and give us and inning and a third, and then (Anthony) Varvaro picking up two innings late in the game.
“Always nice to get a winning series headed into the off day. Now we’ve got a big series ahead of us in Washington.”
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